I am a private photographic guide who gained much of my experience working for the world renowned Singita Game Reserves. In 2011 I was faced with a very tough decision and that was to move back to the city due to unforeseen circumstances. The first year was a real struggle. I had to deal with a sudden change in my new environment and decided very quickly that in order to be happy, I needed to pursue my dream.
BIOGRAPHY
My passion for the outdoors started at a young age and I have always thrived on learning about the complex natural world – and every element that makes up an ecosystem. It was not easy being back in the city – but I found a way to incorporate my love for these wilderness areas and for guiding into my life in Cape Town. This was not only through private guiding but through Black Bean Productions – a company I founded with one of my close mates from school – talented cinematographer and filmmaker Oli Caldow.
We spent a large amount of time in Africa filming wildlife and were able to capture some incredible moments – this was made easier in that I had a background in guiding and was experienced in walking dangerous game. Black Bean Productions soon became very much a part of the private photographic safaris I was hosting in that we were able to offer video safaris to my clients – a video of their holiday and intimate encounters with wildlife delivered to them at the end of their trip. Black Bean Productions also went hand in hand with my guiding career in that I was working to produce films about wildlife and causes I am passion about.
Not being on the ground any longer as a guide I felt the need to help and to be a part of the struggles faced by those working on the ground in conservation, and in particular rhino conservation in South Africa. Black Bean Productions working alongside ‘Through a guide’s Lens with James Suter’ has been able to produce a number of films that are engaging and educational and work to assist organisations working to save our wildlife – not only to raise much needed funding, but to raise awareness about issues too.
This has become so much part of what I do as a guide – these films are all shared with my past and potential guests and often through these films I get to know people whom I then take on safari, or I have past guests that then contribute to one of the organisations we are collaborating with. It all goes hand and hand.
As a small independent film production company we focus on producing high quality content and although we are fortunate in that much of our work ties in with our passion for Africa – both in terms of the people and in terms of conservation – we do a lot of commercial work too that we thoroughly enjoy – this includes experiential short films, short documentary style stories, marketing videos and documenting important events for our clients.
Its been just over 4 years since I arrived back in the ‘city’ (Cape Town) and looking back I am so grateful for my time working as a guide – for all it taught me and for the friendships formed – such as my friendship with Marlon du Toit. We worked so well together, learnt so much from each other and most of all – we had fun.
Through a guide's lens
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Biography - James Suter